Kyle Wellwood will be returning to Vancouver for a second year after the Canucks announced the signing of the centre Thursday following his arbitration hearing on Tuesday.
It is a one-year deal worth $1.2 million, a slight raise from the $1 million Wellwood earned with the Canucks last season.
"It's very good to have Kyle playing for the franchise," Canucks' assistant general manager Laurence Gilman told the CANADIAN PRESS. "He came in, worked very hard, and contributed to our team, both in the regular season and the playoffs."
Wellwood had an up-and-down inaugural season in Vancouver where he was placed on waivers and called out by management for being out of shape. He still managed a career high 18 goals to go along with nine assists. He struggled during the second half of the season, languishing in a 21-game goalless drought at one point. He added one goal and five assists in 10 Canucks playoff games.
In 263 NHL regular season games with Vancouver and Toronto, Wellwood has registered 135 points (49-86-135) and 18 penalty minutes.
The Windsor, Ontario native was originally selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the fifth round, 134th overall, in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft.
